Live Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle by Terry/Ohio/Photos

[TLCOhio]

Getting ready to board our Norway Coast cruise on the Silversea Silver Cloud this afternoon. We arrived yesterday in Copenhagen after all three of our flights arrived ahead of schedule (including through Chicago O'Hare and London Heathrow, two of the world's three busiest airports). YES, ahead of time arrivals! Not late or delayed. Our baggage arrived, also. That makes starting a cruise so much easier. Despite all of the pre-trip worries about volcanoes, British Airway strikes, weather hassles, insurances coverage, etc., it all worked well and smoothly. Bad things do sometimes happen, but in most cases, the good things will be the result. That was our good luck and fortune as we traveled to start our cruise Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

COPENHAGEN? We super loved this charming town with its great history and architecture from our late July, one-day visit on our 2008 Crystal Symphony cruise. Last night was even more fun. We are staying right on the main square, overlooking their large City Hall and Tower at “The Square” hotel. Samantha Brown featured this hotel on her “Passport to Europe” series on the Travel Channel and it is working well for us.

 

A large sign on this main square says "i'm lovin it". Even though the sign is for that famous American food chain, it also sums up Copenhagen very well. This is a great town to start or end a cruise as it allows more time to experience this nation that is considered the "Happiest Place in the World!". Plus, Copenhagen has much that is wonderful and joyous to see and experience. It is 7 am here and the sun is shining in a wonderful way.

 

Below are some of the visual delights from our visit to Tivoli last night. More to come on our stop at Windsor Castle enroute and what happens next on this July 1-16 Norway Coast/fjords cruise. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

At Tivoli, their main gate is lighted in a spectacular and welcoming manner.:

 

 

 

Tivoli looks so special at night with its famed building designs, water features, gardens, flowers, rides, people, entertainment, etc.:

 

 

 

Tivoli has a wide variety of entertainment happening each day and evening. Here we enjoyed this super energized “BIG BAND” performance, including the Duke’s famed “Night Train” sounds.:

 

 

 

Part of the City Hall Tower can be seen with this lake view from within Tivoli.:

 

 

 

Here is one of Tivoli’s most unique buildings “showing off” with its covering of spectacular lighting. Thomas Edison would be proud!

 

 

 

As we prepare to exit Tivoli, here is the lighted look with the trees, other decorations, etc.:

 

[TLCOhio]

In order to take advantage of our American Airlines’ Frequent Flyer miles, we needed to travel through Heathrow in order to reach Copenhagen. Kind of a hassle, plus the flight timing options available when booking eleven months ahead were not perfect. Problem? NO! We adapted to make things work. We had a seven-hour lay-over at Heathrow and did a short trip to nearby Windsor Castle. The result? What a spectacular castle and setting!!! My wife was worried on rain. No, I said. Had about four drops and the rains stayed away. AccuWeather has called things correctly, so far.

 

Below are some visual samples for what is there to enjoy at Windsor. If you’re doing a cruise connection to Northern Europe, here’s an option to consider to fill the time and enjoy some great history, art and architecture as you travel enroute. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

At Windsor Castle, just outside of London and near Heathrow, there is 900 years of history at the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world:

 

 

 

The Waterloo Room at Windsor Castle celebrates with large painting of the key players involved in defeating Napoleon.:

 

 

 

This Queen’s Reception room at Windsor Castle has spectacular ceilings and architectural detailing, plus nice furniture and paintings. Just like home in the State Apartments. :

 

 

 

St. George's Chapel is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England with many members of the Royal family buried here with the walled areas of Windsor Castle. This chapel is also the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter.:

 

 

 

At Windsor, the Changing of the Guard

 takes place at 11:00 daily:

 

 

 

This ceremony also includes a large band with the unique and expected British Royal uniforms and hats.:

 

[phabric]

Enjoyed your great pictures and your report. We will on our cruise July 31 on our way to Norway. Will enjoy reading more.

[vaitape]

SUPER!!! Many thanks!

[TLCOhio]

Appreciate the nice comments on the pictures. Here are more pictures from super wonderful Copenhagen. Love that place so very, very much. Now at sea!!!

 

It’s 8 am on July 2 starting to write while out on the balcony a few notes about our first day on our cruise from Copenhagen to the Norway Coast. Lots to share and love!

 

First, I’m on a balcony!!?? Since we booked over a year ago for a regular oceanview room, on a cruise sold-out and wait-listed six months ago, why are we here? Here’s the short version of a long, twisting story. We got all unpacked and settled into our fourth-level room. My wife then noticed a banging, clanking sound. We called the Butler. She said she would check and call us back. I can sleep well with other “sounds”. But, my wife can’t. She’s worried. Really concerned!! It is also July 1 and her birthday. They are going to call her back. While she waits for that update on fixing this problem, I go up to the poolside Cruise Critic welcoming group, meeting the famed duct tape and posters on these boards. She introduces me to Hotel Director Giovanni Dotti. He’s very friendly and out-going, AND, most important, he’s aware that we have “PROBLEM” in our room with the noise. That’s good for him and us that the head guy over all food and room operations is aware, that quickly, of our situation. Then my wife comes walking up with a “challenge”. Do we stay where we are and have potential noise problems . . . or . . . have to get everything packed up and moved to another suite? Decisions. Decisions.

 

Second, moving? To make that choice much easier, they offered that the staff would load all of the things on the hangers from our closet, taking out the full drawers, changing them out to the new veranda suite, etc. It still took some time and effort to pack up our loose items that had been placed, but it worked well to make this change. We still are not totally settled, but we have a full sea day today to get those details polished up. We were lucky in getting this upgrade, plus it also helped that it was my wife’s birthday. As I understand most don’t get this lucky, but we did and won’t complain.

 

Third, ship first impressions? As we approached, the Silver Cloud looked LARGE for a ship holding less than 300 passengers. We were docked at the super beautiful and charming Nordre Toldbod Pier in Copenhagen. This boarding location is right next to the Gefion Springvandet fountain. We had walked past this site on our afternoon stroll back to the ship on July 26, 2008 on our earlier visit to Copenhagen. This is the Danish capital’s largest monument and was built in 1908. It is based on a Scandinavian mythical tale of the goddess Gefion who plowed the island of Zealand out of Sweden. It was donated by the Carlsberg Foundation on the occasion of the brewery’s 50-year anniversary. This boarding area also overlooks St. Albans Anglican Church that is known as the “The English Church” and was built 1885-87. It is lovely inside of it and has some unique history connecting the Royal families of Denmark and England. Later, I will get into more of the differences and details on this ship versus the larger Crystal Symphony we used to sail the Baltics in 2008. We did lunch on the back of the ship on this perfectly sunny and spectacular Copenhagen day. It has been cool in Copenhagen recently and this great weather is not normal here. We’re very fortunate, again. We were outside on the La Terrazza deck, with wine and Champagne, watching the ships go by in this harbor with blue waters, etc. We could see the new Copenhagen Opera House, various church towers, the giant Paul Allen (Microsoft founder) private yacht, etc. The canal tour boats kept passing and it was fund to wave to people from the back of our “yacht”.

 

Fourth, first dinner? Walking into the dining room when you want is nice compared to the fixed seating times. Not a deal-breaker, but just wonderfully comfortable after our “hassles” needing to change rooms. The staff is excellent, friendly, and knowledgeable. There are three selections for each of the three courses. The service was very smooth and timely. The food and setting was especially nice as you could see the passing of the shoreline, ships, etc., as we were starting our sailing to the first of Norway fjords. It did not get dark till after 10 pm. There was a special birthday cake for my wife with a candle, plus ice cream and staff singing. She was super pleases. Then a little walk around the pool deck and top area as the sun is setting. BEAUTIFUL!!! But, wait there is more!!! We returned to our room and there’s a large “Happy Birthday” balloon on the door. Then inside, there are more balloons, plus a cake and Champagne. Then, in the bathroom, the tub is filled with especially scented waters, rose petals, etc. My wife super loved it ALL! It’s a nice way to celebrate a birthday and the start to a great cruise with our friends and neighbors from Columbus.

 

Fifth, sleep? Got some! Seven and a half hours on the ship. Needed it!!! After only a half-hour on the trans-Atlantic flight and three hours sleep in Copenhagen, I was doing well, driving by the “energy and excitement” of starting a new adventure.

 

Sixth, that balcony! Would we pay that added cost difference for this midship veranda? It would not have been in our budget range, or close, for this long of a cruise up above the Arctic Circle where the temperatures will be fairly cool. BUT, right now, it is total, absolute, complete heaven!!! While my wife sleeps in the suite, I can be out here with the early-morning light, playing my tunes on my lap-top, writing this report, reading, etc. HEAVENLY is the only way to describe it. The air is not that cold. You have the sounds of the waves, watching ships pass outside. This outside space with two chairs and a table adds a great dimension to your overall living space. This could spoil us for the rest of our lives. WOW! Life is good and wonderful.

 

Here’s our upcoming schedule: After our July 2 Sea Day sailing north, we arrive July 3, Saturday in Flam in Sognerfjord, there 8 am-Noon; and then to nearby Gudvangen, 2-6 pm. Highlights here: fjords and spectacular train ride through mountain tunnels and over bridges. Then, we go to Alesund and have a rental car to go to Runde birdrock for July 4, Sunday, 8 am-5 pm. Then to Trondheim July 5, Monday, 7 am-7 pm. We will be crossing Arctic Circle going north July 6 as a Sea Day and then Leknes, Lofoten Island, July 7, Wednesday, 8 am-5 pm; Tromsø, July 8, Thursday, 8 am-5 pm and then Hammerfest July 9, Friday, 7 am-Noon. It’s Honningsvag (North Cape) July 9-10, Friday-Saturday, 7 pm-2 am with a rental car and boat trip around a bird island. We will be cruising past the Nordkapp 6 am-7 am on July 10. This is the northern most top of Europe. Then it is south to Svolvaer on Lofoten Island, July 11, Sunday, 1-7 pm; and then crossing Arctic Circle going south July 12 as a Sea Day.

 

Then it will be more great fjords: Helleysylt, 8-10 am, July 13, Tuesday and then Geiranger, 12:30-5 pm. We will do an overland, Top of Europe journey on this day. We finish with Bergen, Norway’s second largest city with its history and old wooden buildings: July 14, Wednesday, 8 am-11 pm. July 15, Thursday is a final Sea Day; heading to docking July 16, Friday in Copenhagen at 7 am.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

 

Here is the view as we approached the Silver Cloud at the pier with the large Gefion Springvandet Fountain in the foreground.:

 

 

This is our lunch table view of the Opera House and spiral church tower in Copenhagen’s beautiful harbor.:

 

 

 

For departing Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, we had lunch on the terrace. This is the visual to our right of others enjoying this spectacular dining with the view overlooking the Gefion Springvandet Fountain and St. Albans Anglican Church.:

 

 

These are the Silver Cloud stairs and a view of the back part of this ship the new Copenhagen Opera House in the background.:

 

 

 

This is the view to the north in Copenhagen harbor from the Silver Cloud as we were getting ready to depart. This is the area where the Little Mermaid would be positioned, but she is in China this summer. We saw this famed, but small statute in 2008.:

 

 

 

The weather was wonderfully upper 60’s for breakfast on our first sea day sailing to Norway. Here’s our dining view with another cruise ship sailing south from fjord country.:

 

[TLCOhio]

We ended up doing a more detailed posting on the Silversea boards. If there's interest, you can pick up the details there. So far, we've had over 9,000 views for these postings. If any questions, comments or suggestions to share, please do on that site. Look forward to hearing more.

 

Below are some sample, added pictures from later in the cruise.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For more details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle Silver Cloud experiences:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

This picture shows the Bergen Floibanen funicular railway coming up the steep hill with the harbor, fish market, etc. in the background. On the top, somewhat right, the Silver Cloud and Costa ships can be seen in the harbor.

 

 

 

 

These are the building fronts in the historic Bergen Hanseatic merchant warehouse area on a bright, sunshine-filled day.:

 

 

 

After being tendered from Geiranger, we sailed out and passed by two super famous waterfalls. YES, yes, we saw lots and lots of waterfalls on this trip, but these two were among the “best of the best”. First is the “Seven Sisters”. Next shown is directly opposite in this narrow fjord and is called several names, including “The Suitor”. The majesty for these feats of nature is pretty amazing.:

 

 

 

 

 

You go on these Norway Coast cruises for the spectacular fjords. From our journey to Flam, Gudvangen and Sognerfjord, here are two pictures. These two picture give you a sampling for how the skies can change from cloudy to sunny, plus offer sights of the farms, green fields, etc. along these beautiful internal coast lines of the fjords.

 

 

 

[aliaschief]

Just came upon your thread.....great pictures. Thanks